Breech-loading ordnance.



A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUCKHAM.

BREECH LOADING OBDNANGB. APPLICATION FILED 11:11.27, 1911.

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BRBEGH LOADING ORDNANCE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 27, 1911.

Patented June 10,1913.

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ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER, LON- DON, ENGLAND, ASSIG-NORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO VICKERS, LIMITED, OF

WESTMINSTER, ENGLAND.

- BREEGI-I-LOADING ORDNANCE.

Application led February To al? 'whom t may concern Be it known that we, ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, knight, and GEORGE THOMAS BUCK- Hnu, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at 32 Victoria street, Westminster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Breech-Loading Ordnance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to breech loading ordnance of the kind in which a valve is provided for controlling a supply of compressed air or other suitable uid to the breech during the run out movement of the gun with the object of obviating the backward rush of flame or hot gases, which is liable to occur on opening the breech when the gun is fired in a head wind, and also with the object of elfectually clearing the bore of the gun of any combustible matter which may remain therein after firing.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus of this kind for use with ordnance of the semi-automatic type; our improved apparatus being characterized by simplicity in construction and by the fact that it does not interfere with the rapid assembling or dismantling of the breech mechanism.

According to our invention the valve for controlling the supply of the compressed air or other fluid is under the influence of a device which is so constructed and arranged that at a suitable period during the run out movement of the gun after recoil it coperates with a member that causes said valve to open and allow the compressed fluid to enter the gun breech until just before the run out movement of the gun is completed. The said device for controlling the aforesaid valve may be rotatably mounted on the gun and near the breech end thereof and may be provided with a lateral projection for cooperating with inclines on the aforesaid member which is situated on a non-recoiling part of the gun. This member is of such a character that during recoil the said device is angularly displaced without operating the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 1913.

27, 1911. serial No. 611,250.

valve, but on the run out movement the said device is displaced to open the valve and retain it open until just before the run out movement is completed.

In order that our said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the breech end of a gun provided with our improved apparatus, the valve casing being shown in section. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a rear view and a plan of Fig. 1. Fig. 4L is a side elevation showing the position .of the parts during the recoil movement. Fig. 5 65 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the gun is in the recoiled position, and Fig. 6 is a view showing the position of the parts during the run out movement of the gun, the valve having just been opened.

In these figures, which show the invention applied to a semi-automatic gun, A is the breech end of the gun, B is the sliding breech block, B', B2 are the pawl and cam 75 of the breech actuating mechanism and C is the valve for controlling the supply of compressed air or other fluid to the breech.

C is the device for controlling the valve, and C2 is the member with which the said 80 device coperates. The said device C is in the form of a lever provided with three arms c', c2, c3, one (c) of which carries the aforesaid lateral projections cX, another (o2) normally bears against the end of the 85 stem c of the valve C, and the third (c3) is in engagement with a spring controlled plunger C3 which is mounted in the valve casing C4 attached to the gun. The aforesaid member C2 that coperates with the 90 lateral projection cx on the valve lever, is in the form of a bar attached to the cradle and having its forward and rear ends formed with inclined surfaces 02X, 03X substantially parallel to each other. When the gun recoils, the said lateral projection cX strikes the incline 02X at the forward end of the bar O2 (which by being attached to the cradle is of course stationary) thereby causing the lever C to rock about its pivot c* and compress the aforesaid spring plunger C3 by means of the arm c3. During this movement of the valve lever the arm c2 appertaining to the valve C moves away from the valve stem and the valve is therefore not operated; this position of the parts is shown in Fig. 4. The valve lever C clears the bar C2 before the completion of the recoil movement of the gun, and the said lever is then returned to the normal position shown in Fig. 5 by its spring plunger C3. As the gun returns to t-he run out position, the aforesaid lateral projection GX on the valve lever C coperates With the inclined surface 03 of the bar as shown in Fig. 6, and the said valve lever C is thereby rotated in the reverse direction to that described above With the result that the control valve C is actuated to allovv the compressed air or other fluid to enter the gun breech through the passages b (Figs. 2 and The supply of fluid persists until the gun has completed its return movement when the aforesaid projection c* moves out of contact with the bar C2, and the valve C and the valve lever C are then returned to their normal position by the spring C* appertaining to the valve.

The valve lever C and the bar C2 are so arranged in relation to the paWl B and the cam B2 or other automatic means for actuating the breech mechanism, that the valve is opened When the cartridge case is being ejected from the gun. The positions of the said pawl and cam With relation to the various positions of the valve actuating means are clearly shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.

That We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In breech loading ordnance, the combination With a valve carried by the gun for controlling a supply of compressed fluid to the breech, of a device also carried by the un and coperating` With said valve, a rela- Jively stationary member with which said device coperates to open the valve during the run out movement of the gun, and means for automatically closing the valve at substantially the completion of the run out movement of the gun.

2. In breech loading ordnance, the combination with a valve carried by the gun for controlling a supply of compressed fluid to the breech, of a device coperating With said valve, a relatively stationary member With which said device coperates to open the valve during the run out movement of the gun, and means for automatically closing the valve at substantially the completion of the run out movement of the gun.

3. In breech loading ordnance, the combination With a valve carried by the gun for controlling a supply of compressed fluid to the breech, of a device also carried by the gun and coperating With said valve, a relatively stationary member with which said device coperates to open the valve during the run out movement of the gun and to retain said valve open until just before the run out of the gun is completed, and means for automatically closing the valve at substantially the completion of the run out movement of the gun.

4. In breech loading ordnance, the combination With a valve carried by the gun for controlling a supply of compressed fluid to the breech, of a device coperating with said valve, a relatively stationary member With which said device coperates to open the valve during the run out movement of the gun, and to retain said valve open until just before the run out of the gun is completed, and means for automatically closing the valve at substantially the completion of the run out movement of the gun.

5. In breech loading ordnance, the combination with a valve carried by the gun for controlling a supply of compressed fluid to the breech, of a device also carried by the gun and coperating with said valve, a lateral projection on said device, a relatively stationary member with which said projection engages to open the valve during the run out movement of the gun, and means for automatically closing the valve at substantially the completion of the run out movement of the gun. d

6. In breech loading ordnance, the combination With a valve for contro-lling a supply of compressed fluid to the breech of a device coperating with said valve, a lateral projection on said device, a bar carried by the cradle and formed with inclined surfaces with one of Which said projection engages to open the valve during the run out movement of the gun, and means for automatically closing the valve at substantially the completion of the run out movement of the gun.

7 In breech loading ordnance, the combination With a valve for controlling a supply of compressed fluid to the breech, of a lever having three arms, one of which engages with said valve, a lateral projection carried by another arm, a spring controlled plunger engaging with the third arm, and a bar carried by the cradle and having inclined surfaces With one of which said lateral projection engages to open the valve during the run out of the gun.

8. In breech loading ordnance, the combination With a valve for controlling a supply of compressed fluid to the breech, of a lever having three arms, one of Which engages With said valve, a lateral projection carried by another arm, a spring controlled plunger In testimony whereof We afliX our signaengaglng with the third arm, a bar carried tures in presence of two Witnesses.

by the cradle and having inclined surfaces ARTHUR TREVOR DAVSON With one of which said lateral projection ena gages to open the valve during the run out GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM' of the gun, and means for automatically Witnesses: closing the Valve at substantially the comple- CEAS. GOLDSMITH, tion of the run out movement of the gun. HENRY KING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

